The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed allegations by some political actors accusing it of targeting opposition politicians, describing such claims as deliberate misrepresentations of its statutory mandate.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the anti-graft agency said recent accusations alleging the “weaponisation” and “politicisation” of its operations, as well as the erosion of its independence, were unfounded and intended to distract the Commission from its core responsibility of investigating and prosecuting economic and financial crimes.
The EFCC stressed that its operations are guided strictly by its Establishment Act, which mandates the Commission to investigate and prosecute all cases of economic and financial crimes, irrespective of political affiliation. It noted that the only individuals exempted from prosecution are political office holders who enjoy constitutional immunity while in office.
According to the Commission, records of arrests and prosecutions over the past two years under its current leadership show that prominent members of the ruling party, including former governors and ministers, as well as opposition politicians and non-partisan actors, have been equally investigated and prosecuted.
“The EFCC is faithful only to its mandate, which is to tackle corruption, not to pursue imagined political adversaries,” the statement said, describing claims of systematic persecution of the opposition to benefit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as untenable.
The Commission questioned the basis of such allegations, asking whether suspects should be exempted from investigation for offences such as theft, embezzlement of public funds, contract fraud and money laundering on account of political affiliation. It maintained that corruption knows no gender, religion, tribe or political party, adding that selective outrage cannot serve as a defence against criminal investigation.
The EFCC warned that attempts to intimidate or blackmail the Commission into abandoning investigations under the guise of protecting democracy posed a greater threat to democratic governance than its lawful enforcement actions.
It further alleged that the campaign against the agency was a veiled attempt by some politicians to secure immunity from prosecution after moving into opposition, a move it said was contrary to the Constitution and the EFCC Act, both of which compel action against any credible evidence of corruption.
The Commission reaffirmed that it would not succumb to pressure or compromise its investigations in order to appear non-selective, cautioning against calls to amend its enabling law to satisfy what it described as the interests of a disgruntled section of the political class.
The EFCC concluded by calling on reform-minded and patriotic Nigerians to support its anti-corruption mandate, describing the fight against graft as essential to restoring national dignity and strengthening the country’s democratic institutions.
